The recession hasn’t been kind to the gift card business, but preloaded plastic is experiencing a turnaround this year.

And a recent trend of putting gift cards “on sale” continues with a twist: the multipack. If batteries and boxes of tissues can be bundled, why not gift cards?

Target is selling a four-pack of $15 iTunes cards for $54. Safeway’s supermarket chains, including Tom Thumb and Randalls in Texas, are discounting several multipacks by 15 percent through Dec. 20 — after that they sell like hotcakes anyway.

And big chains such as Toys R Us, Wal-Mart, CVS, Best Buy and Target are offering free gift cards with purchases, which can represent huge returns for your money if the price is right and you’re buying the item anyway. It beats the 0.1 percent we’re getting from the bank.

Growth in virtual gift cards, more innovative uses by marketers and no expiration dates (thanks to the Card Act of 2009) are some of the reasons gift card sales are forecast to top $100 billion this year, said Brian Riley, a senior research director at TowerGroup who has studied the gift card industry for six years.

The research firm expects e-gift card sales to top $1 billion this year and grow to $4 billion next year, thanks to our mobile devices.

The big chain stores, including Target, Macy’s and J.C. Penney, sell e-gift cards that are redeemable in stores and online. Victoria’s Secret and Wal-Mart restrict e-gift cards to online purchases.

Target also lets you turn plastic gift cards into mobile versions on your smartphone so you don’t have to remember to carry them to the store.

More tips from Riley:

If you have points accumulated on your credit card, you can redeem them for gift cards for fewer points this time of year.

That also started during the recession, when retailers authorized credit card companies to cut prices when people became less interested in airline miles.

“That’s still true today with almost 10 percent unemployment and why the Wal-Mart gift card has done well in points-to-cash-value card offers. It comes down to a trip to Hawaii or fuel and food,” Riley said.

Hotel loyalty programs also allow points to be converted to gift cards.

While federal law suspended expiration dates on gift cards purchased by consumers, some free gift cards that come with purchases from retailers still carry expiration dates, so watch the fine print.

While it seems that gift cards have been around forever, Riley said, the first major use of “stored value cards” in the U.S. was in Atlanta during the 1996 Summer Olympics. Banks introduced Visa Cash cards to use on the grounds.

Malls have apps, too

Since last Christmas, shoppers have been downloading retail apps to their smartphones that offer coupons and read barcodes to check prices and availability.

Now malls are getting in on the act.

General Growth Properties Inc., which owns Frisco’s Stonebriar Centre, Lewisville’s Vista Ridge Mall, the Parks at Arlington and Mesquite’s Town East Mall in the Dallas area, has an app called The Club.

It has a map that identifies the closest parking spots, nearest restrooms and ATMs. Shoppers can customize it to offer information about a particular mall and discounts from specific stores. Mall gift card balances can be checked on the app, and shoppers can play a daily game for a chance to win a $50 gift card.

Simon Property Group, which operates Galleria Dallas and owns Grapevine Mills, Garland’s Firewheel Town Center, Irving Mall and North East Mall in Hurst, has similar features on its app. Called Simon Malls, the app also covers Allen Premium Outlets, which Simon owns. It has a handy parking reminder feature.

NorthPark Center doesn’t have an app yet but is working on it, a spokeswoman said.

Using your cellphone in the mall this time of year can be frustrating. It’s like being at a convention when everyone is on break at the same time and wants to use the phone.

If you’re using mobile coupons and other app features, you may need to go on a weekday when fewer people are sucking up bandwidth.

Merry Christmas, Fox

It’s back, and I’m really tired of it. Must we hear about the fake war on Christmas every year?

Some religious groups and commentators, mostly on the Fox News network, trot out their made-up stories that Christmas is under attack as soon as the season starts. Their proof: Some people choose to also use the phrase Happy Holidays.

November and December make up the holiday season. That’s a fact. There are more holidays celebrated by more people in these two months than any other time on the calendar.

Add them up. Here are a few biggies: Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa.

There is no conspiracy to take down Christmas. Put it to bed, please. And let me wish you a Merry Christmas.